Shiva's girl child

As householder, Shiva sired daughters as well, says DEVDUTT PATTANAIK, as he explores folktales and myths

The appearance of Ashoka Sundari in a popular teleserial has prompted many to wonder, ‘When did Shiva father daughters?’ Everyone has heard of his famous sons, Ganesha and Kartikeya...but daughters? Ashoka Sundari? Where did she come from? The whole idea of the Shiva Purana is to describe the gradual socialisation of Shiva, from hermit to householder. This also means becoming a father and taking responsibility for fatherhood. As hermit, Shiva is detached and disengaged with the world. But Shiva’s consort, Parvati, is determined to make him participate. In that, she is helped by Vishnu and all the other gods. In Tamil temple lore, Vishnu is Parvati’s brother and Brahma is her father. Together, they want the ascetic Shiva to make a home. Only then will his great wisdom and powers benefit the world.

Children are part of a householder’s life. Thus, sons are born. Notice how the two popular sons take care of humanity’s most basic needs. Ganesha is associated with food that helps us cope with our fear of starvation. Kartikeya is associated with warfare that is necessary to defend ourselves from predators. Through his two sons, Shiva provides and protects.

There is reference to other sons of Shiva: Aiyyappa and Aiyanar, ascetic warlords popular in South India; Andhaka, the asura, who was born from Parvati’s perspiration when she covered Shiva’s eyes with them; even Hanuman, in some versions. This ‘male preference’ has not been unnoticed by devotees and sages. Across folk traditions, there are references to Shiva’s daughters.

The story of Ashoka Sundari is found in Padma Purana. She is born when Shiva and Parvati encounter the wish-fulfilling tree and Parvati asks for a daughter, who will give her company when she is alone in Kailash. The wish is instantly granted. She is called Ashoka as she got rid of Parvati’s shok or sorrow and Sundari because she is beautiful.

Ashoka Sundari was destined to marry Nahusha, grandson of Yayati of the lunar dynasty. There is reference to a demon who tries to abduct her but she escapes and curses the demon that he will be killed by her husband. Ashoka Sundari and Nahusha marry in the hermitage of Sage Vashisht.

Ashoka Sundari’s story also comes from the vrat-kathas of Gujarat. She was present at the time Ganesha was beheaded and she hid behind a sack of salt in fear, and was later pacified by her father. Hence, she is associated with salt, the ingredient without which life is unsavoury. She is often called Okha and salt is not purchased in the month of Chaitra in her memory. The local tale sounds very much like the story of Bana’s daughter, Usha, who abducted Krishna’s grandson, Anirudh. Bana, an asura, was a great devotee of Shiva. In deference to his wish for a child, Shiva gave him Okha, Usha or Ashoka Sundari.

In Shiva temples of Tamil Nadu, one occasionally comes across Jyoti, the goddess of light, who emerges from Shiva’s halo and who is the physical manifestation of his grace. She is commonly associated with Kartikeya.

In Bengali folk tales, Mansa, the goddess who cures one of snakebites, is the sister of Vasuki, king of snakes. She was born when Shiva’s semen touched a statue of Kadru, mother of snakes. Therefore, she was Shiva’s daughter, but not Parvati’s child.

Parvati, known in the folktales as Chandi, does not like Mansa and is even jealous of her, suspecting she may be Shiva’s secret wife. It is Mansa who saves Shiva when he drinks the poison that emerges during the churning of the ocean. But Chandi is so jealous that she blinds Mansa in one eye. Tired of household quarrels, Shiva abandons Mansa but gives her a companion called Neta. Later, when Mansa gets married, Chandi tells her to go into the bridal chamber wearing snakes as ornaments, frightening her husband, who runs away. Abandoned by father and husband, the unhappy Mansa becomes an angry goddess who has to be appeased.

The idea of devotees ‘creating’ gods and goddesses is not unknown to Hinduism. Santoshi Maa did not exist in the Hindu pantheon before the film of that name was made in the 1970s. Will Ashoka Sundari become another of our 330 million gods?

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